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Golden Paintbrush Awards Now Accepting Nominations

Archived News Release: February 10, 2021 - The Ann Arbor Public Art Commission has officially opened nominations for the yearly Golden Paintbrush Awards. This year's award seeks to recognize adults, children and organizations who have encouraged creativity in Ann Arbor's publicly visible spaces. Awards will be given for art which demonstrates collaboration and excellence and, as the commission explains, adds a bit of magic to our daily life. Visual, music and other arts, including online, are eligible, and all nominations must be received by April 30, 2021. Nominations must be submitted using the forms available at www.a2gov.org/golden

To select the winners, a panel of three to five judges will be assembled representing residents and leaders in the arts, education and business communities. 

Their judging criteria will be:

  • Creativity/Skill – 50% (is the project unique, impactful and well executed).

  • Civic Engagement – 25% (how has the project has involved members of our community).

  • Visible and Sustainable –25% (is the project prominent and can it be easily maintained).

To encourage flexibility, the judges will collectively define how they use each of the criteria. The award is to recognize and promote creative civic achievement as well as appreciation of the variety of public art in Ann Arbor.

Established in 2009, the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission granted this award annually until 2013. In 2021, the award will be revived with the intention to annually recognize citizens, businesses and organizations who have encouraged creativity in public spaces. The Golden Paintbrush Award honors involvement in public art exemplifying excellence, demonstrating collaboration, and adding a bit of magic to daily life in Ann Arbor.

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Media Contact Information

Lisa Wondrash
Communications Unit Manager
734.794.6000 x41511
[email protected]


Ann Arbor has 123,851 residents, spans 28.97 square miles and is frequently recognized as a foremost place to live, learn, work, thrive and visit. To keep up with City of Ann Arbor information, subscribe for email updates, and follow the city on Twitter and Facebook. The city's mission is to deliver exceptional services that sustain and enhance a vibrant, safe and diverse community.